Operations Principal

<div><p><b>Location:</b>Fully Remote (with occasional travel across the Middle East and Europe)</p><p><b>Contract Type:</b>Full-time, permanent</p><p>Chronicle Heritage International is a leading global heritage consultancy delivering integrated cultural heritage and advisory services across the Middle East, Europe, and beyond. We support major public and private sector clients through technically robust, regulation-compliant, and operationally excellent cultural heritage management solutions.</p><p>We are seeking an experienced<b>Operations Principal</b>to provide senior operational leadership across our international portfolio, with a particular focus on the Middle East region. This role will oversee operational delivery, project execution, quality assurance, and team leadership, ensuring that Chronicle Heritage continues to meet strategic and financial expectations through strong operational performance.</p><h3>Role Overview</h3><p>The Operations Principal is a senior operational leader within Chronicle Heritage International, responsible for ensuring effective delivery of projects and programmes across the region.</p><h3>The role focuses on:</h3><ul><li>Operational excellence and delivery performance</li><li>Resource and team leadership</li><li>Quality assurance and compliance</li><li>Operational contribution to financial performance through forecasting, utilisation, and cost management</li></ul><p>The Operations Principal works closely with regional leadership, technical teams, and corporate support functions to ensure that operational execution aligns with organisational objectives and financial expectations.</p><h3>Key Responsibilities</h3><h3>Operational Leadership&Performance</h3><ul><li>Lead regional operational planning to ensure efficient delivery across projects and programmes</li><li>Oversee resource allocation, scheduling, and delivery frameworks</li><li>Monitor operational KPIs including utilisation, delivery performance, quality, and staff engagement</li></ul><h3>Project Delivery&Quality Assurance</h3><ul><li>Ensure successful execution of projects in line with professional best practice and client requirements</li><li>Maintain high standards of technical quality, compliance, and risk management</li><li>Support continuous improvement across operational systems and delivery processes</li></ul><h3>Financial Contribution Through Execution</h3><ul><li>Support financial forecasting and delivery planning in collaboration with regional leadership</li><li>Ensure operational decisions align with project budgets, cost control, and performance expectations</li><li>Contribute to P&L outcomes by strengthening delivery efficiency, utilisation, and execution discipline</li><li>Provide leadership, mentorship, and performance management for senior staff and project managers</li><li>Support staff development, succession planning, and a high-performing team culture</li><li>Promote collaboration across international teams and disciplines</li></ul><h3>Client&Stakeholder Engagement</h3><ul><li>Maintain strong working relationships with key clients and stakeholders to support successful delivery</li><li>Contribute operational input into proposals, scopes of work, resourcing plans, and delivery strategies</li><li>Represent Chronicle Heritage International as a senior operational leader in the region</li></ul><h3>Systems, Governance&Compliance</h3><ul><li>Ensure compliance with local, national, and international cultural heritage regulations and standards</li><li>Work closely with internal departments to support organisational alignment and operational reporting</li><li>Utilise internal systems including Salesforce, Sage Intacct, Teamwork, and Deel to support operational management</li></ul><h3>Required Qualifications&Experience</h3><ul><li>Postgraduate qualification in archaeology, anthropology, heritage management, history, architectural history, or related discipline</li><li>Minimum<b>5 years’ experience</b>in heritage, environmental, or related consultancy with progressive responsibility</li><li>At least<b>2 years’ experience</b>in a leadership role managing professional teams</li><li>Strong understanding of cultural heritage regulation and professional practice, preferably within the Middle East</li><li>Demonstrated ability to lead complex project delivery and operational performance</li><li>Excellent organisational, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills</li><li>Ability and willingness to travel periodically across the Middle East and Europe</li><li>Legal eligibility to enter and work across relevant international jurisdictions as required</li><li>Full driving license</li><li>Arabic language skills (spoken and written)</li><li>Experience working in multinational consultancy environments</li><li>Familiarity with project delivery, financial, or CRM systems such as Salesforce, Sage Intacct, or Teamwork</li></ul><h3>What We Offer</h3><p>Chronicle Heritage International offers a collaborative and profess